Cooking therapy from a former travel nurse

Miso Salmon, me love you long time! March 12, 2010

What the crap is going on with the universe when I post two healthy posts in a row? The name of this one always makes me think of the song Me So Horny by 2 Live Crew, that controversial tune that added fuel to the fire of Tipper Gore’s fight to have parental warning stickers on CDs. I can’t help but sing, Uh, miso salmon, uh uh miso salmon, uh miso salmon, me love you long time. I’m showing my age, aren’t I. Anyway, this recipe has also become a favorite and I would even say the second time around was better than the first. It is a Bobby Flay recipe and is easy to put together and gives a slightly sweet flavor to the fish.

Miso Salmon

Ingredients:

1/4 cup mild miso (fermented soy bean paste)

1/4 cup mirin (asian cooking wine found in the Asian section of most grocery stores)

2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

2-3 tablespoons soy sauce (you can use low sodium)

2 tablespoons minced green onion

1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

4 8-ounce salmon fillets

salt and freshly ground pepper

Whisk together the miso, mirin, vinegar, soy sauce, green onions, ginger and sesame oil in a small bowl. Place the salmon in a gallon size ziploc bag in a single layer, pour in the marinade. Burp as much air out of the bag as possible and seal the baggie. Move the fish around to ensure even coating, then place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour.

Once marinated, place fish on a lightly oiled broiler pan (I realize my salmon is in a pyrex, but I have the old ones that don’t explode in the oven. Don’t use Pyrex unless you want to risk a shattered glass dish in your oven and potential harm to you or someone you love), skin side down and broil on high until top is well browned and slightly crisp, turn the salmon over and broil the skin until bubbling up.

Remove from oven and remove the salmon skin and place back under the broiler for a minute or two until salmon reaches desired doneness. We like ours medium. You can separate one of the middle layers (or flake the fish) to see if it is done, but remember it will cook a little more even after you remove it,so don’t over do it. Ours usually takes about 10 minutes total to cook. Your time may vary depending on your oven. This can also be grilled for about 3-4 minutes per side, starting with skin side down. Serve with roasted asparagus (instructions below)

Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients:

1 bunch (about 15 spears) large, green asparagus

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

kosher salt

freshly cracked black pepper

8 thin slices of lemon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Break off tough stem ends by bending the asparagus near the bottom until the tough ends snap off. Place asparagus in a single layer on a small sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange lemon slices over asparagus (I was out of lemon the night I made this; still good, but better with lemon). Roast for 15-20 minutes. Serve hot.